Autumn 2025 saw Abel Selaocoe on a worldwide recital tour, presenting no less than four new commissioned pieces.

“Entanglements” is a collaboration with the dutch composer Michel van der Aa and explores the intersection between traditional African musical forms and contemporary compositional techniques. The piece brings together elements of music, electronics and spoken text, incorporating excerpts from South African poets Lesego Rampolokeng and Ingrid Jonker.

British-Japanese composer Ben Nobuto wrote a piece for Abel called „Living“, that uses fragments of a verse from the Dhammapada about joy, which repeat and rotate in different combinations, looping and stuttering playfully, obsessively, like a mantra.

With “Pula” (Rain) and “Sefako” (Hail storm), Abel once again plays with the sounds and words from his home country and brings them to international concert halls.

We, and the audiences, got to experience this versatile programme at the Elbphilharmonie Hamburg (27.10.), Kölner Philharmonie (29.10.), Pierre Boulez Saal Berlin (06.11.), Tauberphilharmonie Weikersheim (07.11.) and Prinzregententheater Munich (08.11.2025)